Afternoon Hijinks
by Trinity Everett
Summary: "He's new to being a pet owner, but common sense (and parenting experience) tells him that "oops," is never what one wants to hear when a three-year-old, a cat, and a Great Dane are involved." A follow-up ficlet to There's Room for Two., AU, Caskett, Out of the Blue universe.


Anonymous asked: You know the story u wrote about casket and their son (Ian, i think) picking out their dog and kitten? Would u continue writing it like maybe when they're home with the animals and how Ian does with them? I love the story so much I would love to read more xx

 _Hi Anon! I'm so crazy sorry it's taken me so long to write this for you. I hope you're out there still, and that you enjoy this!_

 **Afternoon Hijinks**

 **A follow-up to There's Room for Two in the Out of the Blue Universe**

* * *

"Oops."

He's new to being a pet owner, but common sense (and parenting experience) tells him that "oops," is never what one wants to hear when a three-year-old, a cat, and a Great Dane are involved.

"Oops?" Rick calls into the living room, transferring his laptop from his thighs to the desk. He hasn't been writing for very long, the length of an episode of Ian's favorite cartoon that plays on the now-abandoned TV beside him, but he'll have to come back to his work once the boy is down for a nap.

"Nuffin, Daddy!" comes the least convincing assurance in the world. Especially when it's accompanied by the familiar metallic sound of a bowl spinning on the floor and a squeaky childlike giggle. Well, at least he knows where they are.

He shakes his head, covering the distance to the kitchen on sure, but unhurried feet. He hasn't heard crying, yelping, or hissing, so he's confident the shenanigans are harmless so far.

Ian freezes when he spots Rick, his hazel eyes widening into the picture of innocence – as innocent as he can look when he's half on the counter, one bare foot resting on Dottie's back for leverage, Kit at his shoulder, and a box of cereal balancing precariously on the edge of the stone. Castle reminds himself not to laugh. As funny as it is, Kate will kill him if he encourages their son to continue climbing the counters, however oblique the endorsement might be.

"Well hey there, troublemakers," he greets, allowing a small smile to escape, just to make sure his son knows he isn't angry with him. "What's going on in here?"

Ian giggles, abandoning his mission when Rick slips his hands into his armpits and lifts him into the air. Kit pads into the space Ian had vacated, rumbling for Rick's attention. Dottie does the same, nudging her head against his hip, looking up at him with the same soulful, sweet eyes that had ensnared them at the shelter just a few weeks earlier.

"Yeah, I see all of you," he says, smoothing his hand down the cat's back before doing the same for the dog. "What were you trying to get from the counter, Ian?"

Ian ducks his head, hiding his face in Rick's shoulder.

Rick jostles him, blowing a raspberry on the curve of his neck, pretending to gobble him up. Ian shrieks with laughter, practically falling out of his father's arms. "You know I love a good adventure; what've you got for me?"

"Getting tweats!" Ian grins, looking so insanely proud of himself, it's as if he's made the treats on his own, not just been party to a campaign to retrieve them. "Dottie asked fo' one."

Shifting him, Rick rubs a hand over the hard lines of Dottie's head, smoothing over her soft, flopped ears. Love bug that she is, the dog nudges closer, knocking her muzzle against his hip.

"She did, hmm?"

Ian nods against his shoulder, twisting backwards to point at the treat containers, cleverly hidden behind three canisters of pasta and a bowl of fruit. Well, maybe not so clever if both animals know exactly where they are.

"Okay," he concedes, leaning to the back of the counter to retrieve the treats, receiving an affectionate bump from Kit in the process. Dottie retreats from his hand, only to return more insistent, half-hopping in a manner befitting a dog a third her size. "Just one each, though," he adds, trying in vain to get tough in the face of actual puppy dog eyes. "Plus a snack for Mr. Ian. But you can't share it with Dottie, buddy, even if she tries to mooch."

His son nods, though he has no doubt that the second the dog rests her large head on Ian's scrawny little leg, the boy will give in and offer her a sample of the string cheese and cereal Rick's going to prepare for him in a second.

"Kay, Daddy."

"Okay," he agrees, allowing the boy to open the first of the treats. "Do you remember what we tell her?"

Ian nods, his face a mask of concentration as he holds the treat where the Great Dane-turned-Jack Russell can see it. "Dottie, sit!" he says, his voice echoing through the kitchen.

Dottie halts, getting her footing on the hardwood before lowering her back end to the floor. Rick nods in approval.

"Good girl, Dottie," he praises, motioning for Ian to hand the treat over. Despite her size, the dog is remarkably gentle as she takes the cookie from the boy's little fingers, darting to her spot under the window to wolf it down. It'll be gone in about half a second, but that's fine. "Now it's Kit's turn."

They turn their attention to the feline, giving her soft gray fur a stroke. She rumbles under their hands, nudging her nose against Rick's wrist. Steering him toward the container with her treats, no doubt. Both Castle family animals are too smart for their own good, it seems.

"Yes, it's your turn. You're being very patient, we know." Rick hefts Ian, allowing him to be the one to offer the cat her treat. Kit nibbles, eating out of Ian's hand with delicate leisure, only stopping after the bite is gone and all trace of flavor has been licked clean from the boy's fingers.

Satisfied that she's satisfied, Rick scoops her off the counter, depositing her on the floor and shooing her toward the living room. "Go on, Kit. Go see what's happening outside."

She struts off – in the opposite direction from what he'd indicated, of course, but if she's not making mischief, it's a win – jumping onto the platform beside Kate's Buddha statue and curling into a ball. She'll stay there for a few minutes, or until Dottie lopes over to get her attention.

"Me now, Daddy," Ian says, breaking his concentration. "Snack time!"

Returning his attention to his kid, Castle grins. "It is snack time. So I think we should have a delicious assortment of cereal, cheese, yogurt, and enjoy a taste of the new juice we picked out. How does that sound?"

Off Ian's nod, he grabs the box of cereal and two plastic superhero bowls and matching cups from the cabinet. He unearths the squeeze yogurt and string cheese a moment later, allowing Ian to be the one to grab the juice from the refrigerator shelf.

"All right, R2, one gourmet snack, coming right up."

As expected, the moment they sit down, he and Ian become the center of attention. Dottie stretches out at their feet in front of the couch, staring up at them with hopeful, dark eyes. Ian doesn't cave, diving into his food with gusto instead. Rick does the same, smothering a smirk when he sees the flash of gray out of the corner of his eye. Ever subtle, Kit stalks across the back of the couch, stopping just shy of his head, her gaze fixed on a spot in the distance.

Lifting a hand, Rick strokes her head. "You're both very cute," he says, receiving a nuzzle in return that almost breaks his resolve. "But you're still not getting any of our food."

Kit licks his finger, but doesn't come any closer. Satisfied with her apparent compliance, Rick turns back to the Fruit Loops in his Green Lantern bowl. Ian giggles beside him, leaning heavier against his side with every bite.

By the time Castle's food is gone, the animals have disappeared (which is only mildly concerning, really) and Ian's eyelids have drooped shut. Rick slips his son's Batman bowl from his hands before it can list and spill colorful milk all over their legs, downing it instead of letting it go to waste.

It's only after he's put his feet up on the coffee table beside the empty bowls that he hears the delicate tap of Dottie's nails on the kitchen floor, the tiny thump of Kit's batting at something, and then – oh, he should've seen that coming – the crash and spill of the cereal box onto the floor.

Rick winces, twisting in his spot to find Dottie and Kit munching away at the loose Fruit Loops, enjoying the spoils of their hijinks. He's going to need to clean that up before Beckett comes home.

"Oops."

* * *

 _A/N: I hope you enjoyed this!_

 _This is shameless of me, I know, but ffnet decided not to show yesterday's update of_ Our Best Selves _on the main page (as well as not send out an email alert, which has been a problem all week), so if you're following that story - or you'd like to start that story - please head over to read chapter 21. Thank you!_


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